Chapter Eight- One Month Later

Shiro grabbed his shopping bags and left the store. He had neglected to carefully read his storage agreement and one rule was that he could not use it as a living space. He couldn't afford to live at a hotel so he was forced to live in his car, which he kept clean and organized as it was his home now. He used the showers at a public indoor pool to wash, a laundromat for laundry, and a twenty-four hour supermarket for food and drink. Of course, he would use public restrooms as well. The supermarket was where he would park his car; all the way in the back where no one else would park. That was a good thing as tonight was the first full moon of the month.

He climbed into the back and locked the doors before opening the raw meat he had bought and dumped it in an empty bowl that was next to another bowl into which Shiro poured water from a jug he had bought. The meat was bloody which appealed to Shiro's wolf side and he looked forward to eating it.

The sky darkened, the moon rose, and Shiro growled softly as he changed. His nose smelled the meat and he ate hungrily. He knew he preferred flesh but he was determined to hunt no one. He had trained himself to not change and eat humans. He knew he couldn't resist the change on the full moon, but he could keep himself from eating humans by using raw meat for his food.

As usual, Shiro felt sleepy after feasting and he curled up on the back seat. He would be able to unlock and open his door if he needed to pee in the night and hardly anyone was out at night so he felt safe to do his business in the bushes nearby. His eyes slid shut and he was soon fast asleep.

The sense that he was being watched woke him up and he sat up to see a tanned young man peering in at him, his brown eyes wide with wonder and interest. He looked past the man to see the sky starting to lighten. It grew lighter and lighter and, with the sunrise, Shiro shifted back to human.

The young man grinned at Shiro's change before saying, "Hi, I'm Curtis. Can we talk?" A normal human would barely be able to hear him, but Shiro heard it clearly with his sharp ears. He hesitated before unlocking the door, opening it, and sliding aside.

Curtis slid in and Shiro asked, "Aren't you afraid of me?"

"No. I've watched you for a couple of weeks, saw you speak to ones that I know are werewolves, and suspected that you were one too. I find it curious that you don't stay with your pack."

"I don't as I'm a good werewolf and concerned that if I did stay with the pack, I would turn evil and I don't want that."

"A good werewolf? You don't say."

Shiro nodded. "I am like the other werewolves on the full moon in terms of changing and wanting human flesh but I'm self-aware and can talk."

"You shouldn't have to live in your car."

"I don't have much of a choice. Finding an apartment I can afford is a little tough as well as permission to install secure ways to keep me from wanting to attack my neighbors."

"You could stay with me," Curtis offered. "I have a two-person apartment on the top floor with access to the roof. The second bedroom is already set with a bed and dresser."

"Are you sure? My last roommate didn't want to risk living with a werewolf."

"I'm sure as you said you're a good one and I can use silver to protect myself if necessary. Also, I work as a butcher."

"A butcher?"

Curtis chuckled at Shiro's interest. "Yeah. I can provide raw meat when you need or want it. I imagine the roof would be a nice place to run around on."

"It…would. When could I move in?"

"Give me today and tomorrow to speak with the landlord and I hope to have you start moving in the day after the full moon."

"Great. Hold on." Shiro dug up some paper and a pen and wrote his name and cell phone number before handing it to Curtis. "Call me when you have an answer. I do hope he says yes."

"I hope so too…Shiro," Curtis replied, glancing at the paper to read the name. He exited the car and heard for his own car further away. He had encountered a good werewolf which was rare. He seems like a nice guy and shouldn't have to live alone and in his car. He deserves to have a place to live. My place and job would work for Shiro. Roof access to run on and getting meat that I can bring home for him. I assume he has a job and we can split the rent and utilities if my landlord allows him to move in. I don't see why he wouldn't as I've been a really good tenant.

Shiro yawned a little as he settled back on the seats. He had encountered someone who wasn't afraid of him or thought him being a good werewolf was absurd or a bad thing. Curtis was an interesting person and genuinely wanted to help Shiro. He has a nice place with roof access, he works as a butcher which could provide me with the meat I would desire on the full moon. I do wonder if he has an ulterior motive for meeting me and having me move in with him. I don't know what that might be, though. All I can do is keep my eyes open. He closed his eyes to drift off to sleep again. He wasn't working during the full moon and it felt a bit like a vacation. Nothing to do but eat, sleep, and change into a wolf, he thought before truly falling asleep.

Curtis wrapped and tied the cut of beef and handed it to the customer. "Please come again," he said with his charming smile. The customer returned the smile before walking away. Curtis began to clean and wash the knives and then his hands as he did after every order. As he did this, his thoughts turned to Shiro. The young man hadn't said much about himself except that his former roommate had thrown him out for being a werewolf. That indicted that Shiro hadn't been a werewolf very long. It'll be interesting to live with a good werewolf and getting to know him. I find him quite attractive.

"Curtis, my man," a voice drawled.

He looked over and approached the counter with a grin. "Hi, Lance. How are you?"

"Great, couldn't be better."

Curtis marveled silently at how Lance never seemed to age. He doesn't age. Werewolves are ageless and immortal…and here's my chance to get some answers concerning Shiro's type of werewolf. "Lance, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

Curtis leaned closer. "Tell me everything you know about…good werewolves."

Lance stared at him and snorted a laugh. "Good werewolves? It's more of a myth, Curtis."

"Tell me, though. I like hearing about myths; it's a kind of hobby of mine."

Lance grinned again at that. "Well, they act like all werewolves do on the full moon, changing and wanting flesh. They supposedly don't think as a wolf and can talk. They don't revel in being evil and would rather live with humans than attack or kill or bite them."

"If a good one did bite, what would happen?"

"I imagine the same thing that happens when an evil one bites. The human would become a good werewolf too."

"I see. That's quite a story."

"Yes, but good ones can turn evil if encouraged to surrender to the evil within and surrounded by their pack."

"Of course. Can I get you anything?"

"Nope. I'll be eating flesh tonight." Lance walked away, leaving Curtis to think.

Shiro shows all the characteristics of a good werewolf, sans the flesh eating part and he likes being good. I would be willing to aid him in remaining good in any way that I can.